Veterans

Service Dog Categories

TDK9F has developed two categories of Service Dogs.

• PTSD/TBI Service Dogs

  These dogs are psychiatric service dogs.

Dog Tasks: The following are some tasks that a psychiatric service dog can perform: waking from night terrors, calming/redirecting the owner, providing a buffer area between owner and a crowd, turning on a light in a dark room, checking rooms or house for intruders before entry, providing comfort for the owner in public situations, balance assistance, medication reminder, and locating lost objects and vehicles.

• Specialty Service Dogs

  These dogs are trained to assist a person with a varied disabilities such as PTSD and limited mobility or PTSD, and loss of balance. The team may take longer to train.

Dog Tasks: In addition to PTSD/TBI-related tasks, the service dog may be specially trained to help one or more of the following conditions:

Mobility—Mobility Dogs' most common behaviors are retrievals, which range from picking up dropped objects to searching for and bringing back named objects. They also provide assistance in rising, and turning lights on and off.

Veterans currently has a dog

If the veteran currently has his own dog, the Kennel Master begins by temperament testing the dog’s suitability for service. If the veteran does not have a suitable pet dog or his pet dog is tested as not suitable for service, then the TDK9F Kennel Master will help the client find a suitable dog from our inventory.

Once tested as suitable, the dog will be trained basic commands at our facility. Once tested as suitable, the dog and his owner begin a one-on-one training plan that includes:

Hands-on training

• Training techniques and use of equipment
• Advance obedience
• Advanced dog behaviors to interrupt or redirect the veteran’s response to PTSD triggers, help
• Refocus the veteran to real time, reduce anxiety, etc.
• Daily care of the dog
• Social interaction with the dog in public – "pet or not to pet", etc.
• Consideration of others regarding the dog being in public – allergic or afraid of dog

The goal is for the Client to be as self-sufficient as possible and for the Dog to be well mannered and proficient at essential behaviors by the end of the program. Certification takes place approximately 3-6 months after the client and his dog becomes a Top Dog K9 Team.